Wedded With Lies
by MissBunburyHope
Summary: "Do you think things could have been different? If we hadn't have both been reaped. Would you ever have agreed to marry me?" When two tributes are desperate for Sponsors of any kind, to what extent might Katniss go in the cave, to achieve Peeta's dreams?


**Wedded With Lies**

**_"Do you think things could have been different? If we hadn't have both been reaped. Would you ever have agreed to marry me?" When two tributes are desperate for Sponsors of any kind, to what extent might Katniss go in the cave, to achieve Peeta's dreams?_**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, so, although I may have edited some parts, any bits you recognise belong to Suzanne Collins.<strong>

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><p>As the evening came around, Katniss immediately became a little more than just frustrated at the weather. It had been raining for over twenty four hours, so she hadn't been able to hunt for food and she knew that other tributes wouldn't have necessarily been able to hunt either. It can't have been much fun for the Capitol to watch, but it was their own fault, as they were showing no sign of letting the rain stop any time soon.<p>

And there was only a certain amount that she and Peeta could do to entertain the audience. They'd shared kisses, but nothing more because all of their injuries were limiting their movements. Instead, they had spent most of the day wrapped up in the sleeping bag together, fighting off the cold, trying to avoid the drips that came through the roof of the cave, and hoping against hope that they would get some food to fill their empty stomachs.

But she knew that they would have to do _something_ soon. Either one of the tributes or the Game Makers would give in first. She wanted more than anything for it to be those in the Capitol, and she also knew that those thoughts were nearly hopeless. They had whole lifetimes ahead of them to live, whilst at least three of them probably only had a few more days, at most.

She knew, however, that what they had been doing before was no longer enough. Small, innocent kisses were not enough. Haymitch had proved that recently. They had received no sponsor gifts for a few days. His message was clear as it had been on the first day that they got to the cave. One kiss, their first kiss, and they got a small pot of food. After that, well, they expected more.

It wasn't just physical things the audience were expecting to see anymore, though. They wanted things a lot less physical and more personal, instead. The only thing was that she wasn't sure she could initiate something like that. It was Peeta who was good at words, not her, but she couldn't get him to start talking in such a way, without revealing her plans to him and the whole of Panem.

So she slowly shuffled closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, whispering, "Peeta?"

He leant his head down, too, so it was on top of his District partner's, and then replied, "Hmmm?"

Katniss took a deep breath and began. "You said at the interviews that you'd had a crush on me since forever. When did forever start?"

"Oh, let's see." Katniss couldn't see, but she knew Peeta was probably beginning to grin at the fact he could tell her the depth of his feelings. "I guess the first day of school."

"No, it didn't," Katniss began to argue.

"It did! I promise," Peeta said, without a hint of deceit in his voice. "We were five. You had a red plaid dress and your hair...it was in two braids instead of one. My dad pointed you out while we were waiting to line up."

"Don't lie!" moaned Katniss.

"Why do you doubt me so much?" complained Peeta, brushing the hair out of the girl's eyes. "He said, 'See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner.'"

"What! You're making that up!" Katniss exclaimed.

"Nope. It's a true story!" Peeta disagreed. "So I said, 'A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could've had you?' And he said, 'Because when he sings...even the birds stop to listen.'"

Katniss stayed quiet, partly so she didn't interrupt the story, but also because she did not know what she could say. She hadn't really spoken to anyone about her father in years, least of all to a boy she hardly knew, even less in front of the whole of Panem. But she knew that that part of Peeta's story, she knew for certain, was completely true. Her father's voice, when he used to sing, did cause every bird in the forest to fall silent. It was one of the many things she had loved about him most of all.

But Peeta must have known what she was thinking because he continued. "So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She put you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, ever bird outside the windows fell silent."

Katniss began to laugh nervously, and then shook her head slightly.

"I swear it happened." Peeta sighed happily. "And right when your song ended, I knew- just like your mother- I was a goner. Then, for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you."

"Without success," Katniss added.

"Without success," agreed Peeta. "So, in a way, my name being drawn in the Reaping was a real piece of luck."

"I wouldn't exactly call it that," muttered Katniss.

Suddenly, Peeta sat up straight and Katniss' head slipped off, only to be caught by both of Peeta's hands that frame her face. "Do you think things could have been different? If we hadn't have both been reaped."

"Peeta, I- I don't understand." Katniss began to fumble and blushed a little.

"If I had ever plucked up the courage to talk you, would you have talked back?" Peeta asked. "If I'd ask you on a date..." Katniss stared at him, struggling to comprehend the meaning the words, for once, he couldn't say. "Would you ever have agreed to marry me?"

"What?" Katniss felt her breath hitch in her chest and, for a few seconds, she didn't move. Then, suddenly, she was on her feet, on the other side of the cave.

She had never ever wanted to marry, especially not after she saw her mother go through all that pain at the loss of her father. Marriage was too risky. It put all your dependence, all the love you could ever feel into one person that could easily disappear. And marriage never ended at just two people. It always resulted in children. Children meant more mouths to feed, more to fear for at the Reaping, more to care for, when you couldn't care for yourself.

But she knew she couldn't avoid answering the question, not when he'd asked her in front of everyone. Not only would everyone be expecting an answer, though, but they would be expecting her to say yes. She had spent the past few days caring for him, risking her life for him, playing up the star-crossed lovers act. And, if she did say yes and they got home, what could she expect? A wedding already planned. She wouldn't be surprised.

So she knew what she needed to do. No matter how much it pained her to think it, she knew it was her only choice. Slowly, she rubbed her eyes, before she suddenly turned on her heels and walked to their supplies, without saying a word to the boy, who still sat on the floor. There, she picked up the little amount of bread they had left and threw it in his direction, before she grabbed her bow and arrows and walked away.

It didn't take long for Peeta to scramble to his feet after her, and he managed to grab her wrist, just before she stepped into the rain. "Look. I'm sorry, Katniss. If it hurt you to hear what I said, ignore it. I just thought you ought to know to what extent I love you."

Katniss nodded, forced a smile onto her face, and then gently slid Peeta's fingers away. "Trust me." Then, she stood on tiptoes to press a light kiss to his lips, before she brushed past him, into the rain.

It was obvious that Peeta was staring at her leave, but she didn't look back, as she pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and loaded her bow with an arrow. He wouldn't be able to follow her out, not with his leg, anyway, and his vision would be nowhere near as good as hers in such stormy conditions. She just hoped there was no way that an animal or tribute could creep up on her, without her hearing, although she also hoped that no other tribute would be stupid enough to go out.

Of course, she wouldn't actually be hunting in this storm; if her plan went along as it was meant to, they would get a whole feast. Secretly, she also wished that they would stop the Games, out of the kindness of their hearts, but she knew they didn't have any of those. However, if they wanted the Games over as soon as possible, so that they could get home again, she would need to do this and just wish that Peeta went along with it.

She knew that Peeta wasn't the problem, though. Even though she was the one who had come up with it, on her own, she was still sceptical. She wasn't convinced with anything in the Arena, and she knew her own thoughts could be modified, after her tracker jacker encounter. But she also knew that she would have been sceptical of what she was about to embark on, even if she was still at home and she got more of a chance to decide.

Home. It wasn't something she'd thought about in a while, other than how much she wanted to go back to it. But, then, she hadn't really thought about anyone there, other than Prim, and that was only because her dreams at night were filled with images of Prim in the Arena, as if she hadn't volunteered to save her. She hated seeing her so vulnerable, even if it wasn't actually her who was in trouble.

But the others? Her mother, those at the Hob, Gale and his family? Gale. Immediately, she felt a tonne of guilt settling on her shoulders at what she was about to do. At home, if it was going to be anyone, it would have been him, definitely not Peeta. She should have been in a different world to Peeta. On the other hand, now, she was in a different world to Gale. If she didn't do what she had planned, she wouldn't get home. She wouldn't be able to explain that it was an act.

So, despite the pain it caused her, she continued trudging through the forest, until she found the bush she was thinking of. There, she pulled four thin branches off and wound two of them together, into two circular shapes. Then, she picked two berries off, too, and added them to the branches. They weren't poisonous, but, for the purpose they had, they weren't edible either, of course.

She began heading back to the cave as soon as she had finished because she knew that Peeta would begin to panic, if she stayed out for any longer. But she slipped what she had made into her jacket pocket before she left the bush, partly so she still had two hands free, if anyone or anything were to creep up on her, but mainly because she didn't want anyone to see them for too long. After all, it was going to be a surprise to Peeta, so why not to everyone else?

Everything else she needed was still in the cave, so there was nothing else she needed to retrieve from outside. She almost jogged back to the cave, worried, herself, that something was going to appear at the last minute and ruin everything for her. But, luckily, she reached the cave without any mishaps, so she slipped through the mouth of the cave and landed back inside, without making a sound.

Peeta noticed her return, anyway, because he had been watching the mouth of the cave, from the back of it, since she left. He got to his feet as soon as she landed, and made his way to her, as fast as his leg would allow, and pulled her into a tight hug. "Please stay here next time, Katniss. There's nothing out there that we need. We can ration the bread we've got. And- We really need to get these clothes off you."

"It's fine, Peeta," Katniss disagreed, gently pushing his arms away. "I'll dry off soon enough."

"Not when it's this cold," complained Peeta, following Katniss when she began to walk to the back of the cave.

"You'll catch a chill, and then you'll be even worse than me-"

"We need to light a fire," interrupted Katniss, dumping a few logs into her District partner's arms.

"A fire?" Peeta repeated. "Katniss, you know we can't light a fire in here. You know that more than I do. We'll attract someone or something. And, anyway, it's too damp to."

"The logs are dry," Katniss corrected. "And I told you to trust me," she added, trying to fake a look of sweet desperation.

It wasn't any good, but Peeta must have brought it because he followed her back to their slight area of dryness, without a complaint. He dropped the logs to the floor, and then sat down next to them, watching intently as Katniss began to work on lighting the fire, only moving when she asked him to put a log on the fire, too. When the flames were beginning to grow, however, she sat down, very close to and next to Peeta, before bringing around the only bread they had left.

She split the bread in two and kept half of it for herself, whilst she gave the rest to Peeta, only for him to reason, "I thought we were meant to be rationing the bread."

"We were, but I thought this was a decent enough reason to eat it," replied Katniss, not looking at him when she also gave him one of the sets of entwined branches.

"Katniss, they look like rings. And the fire and bread..." He trailed off for a few seconds, and then swore. "Is this a Toasting?" Katniss was still looking down and did not answer, so Peeta took her face in his hands and whispered, "Are we getting married, Katniss?"

"Well, you asked, Peeta. I thought I'd just arrange the details," admitted Katniss.

"I love you," Peeta sighed, contended, bringing his lips to hers.

"Aren't you meant to save that for the vows, or something?" Katniss questioned, pulling back.

"How do you know I'm not beginning them like that?" retorted Peeta.

"I- I," stammered Katniss. "There are traditional ones-"

"Katniss Everdeen," Peeta began, cutting her words of with his. "You only recently found out how much I love you, but I honestly mean it. Since that first day at school, it's been no one but you. You captured my heart, like your father captured your mother's, and I want our love to be exactly the same as theirs. And, to be able to, even in a place like this, makes me feel like the happiest boy alive.

"You came back for me, when I thought I was doomed, and you saved me. I want to do the same. I want to make your life as worth living as you do to mine. But I am still amazed that you would choose to find me, to burden yourself with me. And that's only part of the reason why you're so incredible. You're strong, beautiful and such a good person. I love you so much, Katniss Everdeen. Thank you for choosing to be my wife."

As Peeta finished speaking, Katniss stared at him. Even though she knew her feelings were for show, his were so sincere that, even she, was caught up in what he was saying. He meant every word he said. But she had allowed no one to say things like that before. She had become unconnected to the world, in case someone did speak to her in such a way. She had let him, though, because she had almost made him say them.

And she knew that, as soon as he finished, he was waiting for her to also speak. She could see his soft blue eyes looking hopefully at her, shining with so much happiness that Katniss almost regretted that she had made it all up. He believed that she really loved him back, after eleven years, and she couldn't break his heart, just yet. Not in front of the nation. Not when everyone was watching. Not when they were half way through their "wedding".

But she struggled to find the right words when she started speaking. "I- Peeta. I never thought I'd fall in love. I saw mum fall apart when...when dad died. I didn't want to be like that. Well, I never thought I'd get to that point. I thought I was going to die. But you- you stopped that. _You_ saved me. Thank you. I owe you more than you owe me. And you are the one who's incredible. I wouldn't be here without me. You wouldn't be here without you." Peeta chuckled, and then continued to watch her. So she kept a sickly sweet smile on her face as she forced out the words, "I- I love you, Peeta."

Peeta was grinning from ear to ear when she finished, so he could hardly wait for them to give each other the ring and to toast the bread, before his lips were against hers. Then, between kisses, he said, "Thank you... Katniss... Thank you so much... I love you... And... And you love me... You're... The best wife ever... In the whole... Entire... World."

He moved slightly, to pull Katniss closer to him, who had, for once, not stopped the kisses. But she replied, "Careful, Peeta. You've got to remember we're on camera."

Peeta sighed and leaned back, resting his forehead against the girl's. "In which case, I can't wait to get you home."

Katniss did not say anything because she knew, as soon as the cameras went away, she would have to tell him the truth. She hated lying to such an innocent, such a kind, such a perfect boy, but she knew, when it began, that she would have to. After all, she knew he would do the right thing, whether or not he knew, whilst she would mess things up, even though she knew exactly what was going to happen. It was nice to have at least one person doing things right.

But not saying anything sometimes made everything a little easier, a little more believable. She didn't exactly feel comfortable with what had been insinuated, so it was natural for her to allow a deep red blush to creep across her cheeks. After all, she was just an innocent, lovestruck school girl. It was the kiss she pressed to Peeta's lips, following his laughter at her blush, which wasn't natural.

However, because she knew that people would still be watching, she snuggled closer against him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist. Then, she leant her head against his shoulder, whilst he wrapped the sleeping bag around the two of them, but not before he extinguished the fire. It may have been symbolic, but that idea would certainly stop no one from following the trail of smoke, into their cave.

"Katniss?" Peeta's breath tickled her neck as he watched her closely.

"Hmmm?" Katniss replied, lifting her head, so she was staring into his blue eyes.

"They sing normally," muttered Peeta. "There's a song that family and friends are meant to sing at the Toasting. I can't sing, but... Would you sing it for me?"

Katniss could see how desperate, how hopeful he was, in his eyes. But she shook her head, anyway. She'd already performed enough.

"Do you not know it?" Peeta asked, looking a little upset immediately.

"I do, I just- I don't want to sing for them again," admitted Katniss quietly, dropping her gaze to her lap.

"Then, sing for me," suggested Peeta, sliding a finger under her chin, so he could tilt it up once more. She saw he was obviously confused at her having sung once, but he didn't question it and she wasn't complaining. "Please. Just like the first day at school."

Katniss knew it was a minor request, hardly anything, compared to what life as a wife would surely mean, but she still didn't like it. Even so, she knew she couldn't complain anymore, so she pulled Peeta close, nuzzled her face into his neck and sang so quietly that she knew the hidden microphones would not be able to pick up her voice, no matter how sensitive they were. It was something, just for him. He had requested it and, therefore, no one else deserved it.

However, she knew that Peeta did not deserve anymore of her lies, so she did not say anything when he told her softly, "And that's why I fell in love with you, Katniss Mellark."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: This will be a one-shot, unless you lot review and tell me that you want me to continue. But I just got the idea for this and wanted to write it down straight away.<strong>

**So review, please?**


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